Chapter 156: The Red Thread and the Golden Toad

He Zhixing and his unique team climbed up Mount Lu, heading toward the dangerous site that had been broadcast on television. After a grueling ascent, just as they neared the mountain pass leading to the location mentioned in the reports, they discovered that the police had set up a blockade, sealing off all entrances and prohibiting anyone from climbing further.

Blocked from their path, they were forced to retreat to a hollow in the mountains where the police could neither see them nor hear their voices. He Zhixing asked Master Jinyun, "Master, what should we do? We can't get up there. Are we just going to give up and turn back?"

The one-armed uncle’s master, the Korean monk, and the others turned to glance at Master Jinyun. Master Jinyun replied, "That is certainly not an option. I believe none of our fellow travelers here would wish for that. If we cannot go up directly, is there another way to reach that mountain? Is there anywhere the police haven't fortified?"

At this, a martial artist from the local Mount Lu area spoke up, "There is. I remember a precipitous spot on the other side of the mountain. However, to scale it, someone with exceptional lightness skills must go up first to lower a rope. It is impossible for ordinary people; there is a very high stone cliff there, which the police would never think to guard. We could ascend from there, but it would require Master Jinyun's cooperation."

They all knew that Master Jinyun possessed the best lightness skills and the most formidable martial arts among them. Before the climb, they had prepared long, thin mountain-climbing ropes—a contingency plan in case the main trailhead was blocked.

Master Jinyun, dressed in a casual outfit and a hat, looked nothing like a monk. Seeing the expectant eyes of his companions, he chanted a Buddhist invocation: "Amitabha. Let us go."

Hearing the Master’s consent, the local martial artist beamed with joy and immediately led the group through the forest, clearing a path toward the site. In less than half an hour, they reached the towering stone cliff. True to his word, there were no police lines here, allowing them to ascend in safety.

He Zhixing stood at the base of the cliff, which was four or five meters high. Although small trees and wild grasses grew in the crevices of the rock face, the stone was slick with moss. Who would dare risk their life to climb it? To ascend, one had to leap three meters high to find a foothold in the jagged gaps, then continuously borrow momentum to climb further—a feat that would stop any ordinary person in their tracks.

The local martial artist handed the bag containing the thin rope to Master Jinyun and said sincerely, "Master, it is up to you."

Master Jinyun took the bag, slung it over his shoulder, and with a soft chant, leaped into the air.

Like a giant roc spreading its wings, Master Jinyun soared toward the cliff face. He tapped his foot against a slippery crevice three meters up, vaulted rapidly, and soon reached the top. He expertly grabbed a tree growing from the ridge, secured the rope to a sturdy trunk, and lowered it. One by one, the others pulled themselves up.

Using the trees along the ridge to advance, they carefully bypassed the police checkpoints. After half a day of effort, they finally reached the mountain hollow. The scenery was breathtaking, featuring a small waterfall formed by a mountain stream, occasionally veiled in wisps of mist.

The police dared not venture within a hundred meters of this area, fearing the unknown poisonous creatures, which allowed He Zhixing and his team to search the surroundings without interference.

However, after searching for a long time, they found nothing but the forest, the stream, and the waterfall. Could these two venomous creatures be invisible? Why were they nowhere to be found?

They searched until nightfall with no results, forcing them to retreat temporarily. They returned the next day, and it wasn't until the third day that He Zhixing used the wooden carving of the young beauty to guide them. They discovered that the two extremely toxic creatures were lurking in rock pits beside the small waterfall. Each creature occupied a prime position in its own pit, and between them grew several rare, oversized specimens of Hedyotis diffusa (Snake-needle grass). The leaves of these plants resembled snake tongues—crystalline, white, and translucent—and the white flowers emitted waves of medicinal fragrance. Two of the plants were exceptionally large, with stems as thick as ping-pong balls. It was truly miraculous and left everyone astonished.

Stunned, the group watched the strange, spiritual plants and the two lethal creatures from afar. They dared not approach, for the creatures were poised to strike, ready to kill anyone who dared to draw near.